


COMIC : Public Service Candor

by Anonymous



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Miraculous Ladybug, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: (answer the census too), Art, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Comic, Current Events, Do As Peggy Says, Episode: s02 Anansi, Fanart, Gen, Group Chat (implied), Ink, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug is Called MDC, Marvel Cameos, Meta, Pencil, Politics, SECRET ballot means no one else is obligated to know, Sedition, Tiny Art, Translation Welcome, actually they mostly yell, capitalists don't interact, cast your vote, check information including this, colorcode a schedule, comments disallowed in event of future chat blanc, deal like Chat Noir, disclose your politics on AO3 at your own risk, do not take pictures or recordings of your ballot, don't be a gabriel agreste casting your thoughts instead, don't doom your hamster, don't let hawkmoth steal your voice, don't let mayura use your emotions against you, don't need to leave the house to have a hard conversation, every election is about reducing evil, fascists don't interact, get a little kid to plan it they're great at guilting adults, help your friends, if that's not Exciting enough then party with your dudes after, if you can buddy up to make groupchat crackfic you can do this too, if you're not eligible to vote you can still create a voting plan, it doesn't mean i don't love you, it will not kill you to drop the escapism for a week, it's okay to panic then launch your yo-yo anyway, loss is possible but failing to show up guarantees doom, make like Nino and pick up the baton, mix a civic duty soundtrack, not even authority figures, of course it's disheartening to detransform then have to clean your room, only if you're counted, pinpoint your lilas and your gabriels, plan like Ladybug, shake it like you can dissolve evil with a fingertip, so few spaces left where it's safe to talk and even then, some of you need to hear this, sometimes you get a tuba but it's better than not summoning a lucky charm at all, superheroes do it and you can too, supreme court slots are LIFETIME, tags baked up for re-use, the ones suppressing your vote are the villains, the rest can gaze upon a dubious choice of mini chibis, what will you do if there's an election irregularity?, where's your umbrella?, yes talk about this in fan spaces, you didn't ask for the hostile giant spider-monster but pick. up. that. baton., you have been called upon to fight for your city, youth are the majority
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:22:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: PSA's are canon!give the tiny stick figures a chanceyou may repostUSA viewers PLEASE HELPif you act, act NOW 📞 📤
Kudos: 9
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry this is so late. my hands shook
> 
> yes : save this for yourself. more user notes below

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> transcript → next chapter

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> notes for usa-ians :  
> voting by mail? send it by u.s. postal service soon, as it's more than possible they are being delayed  
> you can vote safely if you are in a domestic violence or stalking situation. try address confidentiality programs / confidential voter listings  
> whatever your situation there is likely a resource for it, that simplifies and makes it doable  
> do not photograph or record your ballot  
> generally, do not show up at the polling place with any campaign or movement or affiliation on your person, including on clothing  
> 'have a plan' includes knowing what to do in the event of voting irregularities  
> please verify all information you are exposed to, including all this!  
> added: vote down the ballot! "minor" offices can effect permanent changes, including constitutional  
> added: read issues carefully! ex. this referendum that sounds like it eliminates gerrymandering actually makes it worse  
> added: how to find a notary : could be part of the voting plan
> 
> \- - -
> 
> notes for comic :  
> you may repost  
> you may remove the characters
> 
> you may not replace the characters  
>  _(inspired work is obviously fine if it's all-new)_
> 
> translations are allowed if they're open to constructive criticism
> 
> no commercial use  
> (do not ever commercialize anything on AO3, that's what it's built on)
> 
> no campaigning for candidates or measures
> 
> if you claim you made this, you're lying. it's signed
> 
> restrictions are to forestall future akumatization of this image  
> i know you wouldn't do that
> 
> im sorry i am unable to host discussions of this  
> but i will approve as many 'inspired by' works as i can, if there's interest
> 
> we are here :  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952826


	2. Transcript

### Transcript 

Public Service Candor  
2020  
[black. body text in grey]

[Tiny half figure of Steve Rogers in blue with the Captain America 'A' helmet and shoulder straps. He is about ¼ inch high.]  
This is just a cameo  
to crosspost to Marvel  
[A line connects to text below:]  
not our characters - you may remove them with text [outlined] intact

[Tiny half figure of Sam Wilson with Falcon wings spread, wearing red goggles, a blue mask, and white striped blue uniform.]  
We're helping evacuate.

[Tiny half figure of Bucky Barnes | Winter Soldier with metal arm, black uniform, long brown hair, and a black mask.]  
* Rogers has no mask  
because he's a  
supersoldier.

[Panels read left to right, then by rows scrolling down.]

[1st square panel.]  
Ahoy Americans!  
Lend an ear,  
our cousins  
in LIBERTY  
[Tiny half figure of Anarka Couffaine with red glasses, a black blazer over a pink top, and grey hair.]

[2nd square panel.]  
That reputation [squiggly underline]  
of the  
“lazy millennials”  
[Curly quote marks are oversized.]  
[Tiny half figure of Nino Lahiffe with black glasses, a red hat, orange headphones, and a blue shirt.  
He is bordered by spider webs. The one on the left has an indistinct bright yellow spot.]

[3rd square panel.]  
It's partly from  
absorbing the  
COPING STRATEGY  
of  
AVOIDING HARM  
[Tiny half figure of Adrien Agreste, with blond hair, a black t-shirt with six colored stripes under a white blazer.]

[4th square panel, new row.]  
EVIL institutions  
depend on that.  
[Purple butterfly signifying an akumatization by Hawkmoth.]  
Their propaganda  
pushes you to stay  
ALONE + ANGRY.

[5th square panel.]  
[Tiny full figure of LÊ CHIẾN Kim diving off a board from top right, wearing a blue swimcap.]  
Don't [underlined] get convinced  
there's no  
FUTURE [exaggerated italics, like racing lines]  
[Small umbrella symbol.]  
[Tiny half figure of Alix Kubdel, with pink hair, and a black top with neon yellow embellishments.]

[6th square panel.]  
we outnumber them [in black]  
[Following text in wavy lines:]  
Hiding your SONG [overlaid in blue]  
in the NOISE  
writes no history [in black]  
make sure  
it's OURS  
[Tiny half figure of Luka Couffaine, with black, blue-tipped hair, a grey hoodie and a white shirt.]

[7th square panel.]  
It's  
time  
to  
rise  
above!  
[on slight diagonal, surrounded by swirling pink speckles, aka magic ladybugs.]  
[Tiny half figure of Ladybug, in her superhero costume of red with black spots, with black hair highlighted in blue done in pigtails. One arm is outstretched at the apex of a toss for the Miraculous Ladybug magic, and the other is spinning the yo-yo as a shield.]

[8th square panel.]  
[Tiny half figures of Chloé Bourgeois with blond hair in a ponytail, a yellow blazer, and a white shirt with black stripes starting lower; and Sabrina Raincomprix tugging her along with brownish glasses, a purple and green vest, and orange hair with a white headband.]  
bee [picture of a bee] counted  
Register to VOTE  
with a friend [in tiny type]  
make a PLAN  
[Tiny figure of Markov projecting a checklist. Items are "map" and "phone #". Tiny half figure of Max Kanté looks on, with black glasses, a green shirt and brownish suspenders, and black hair in an asymmetrical high top.]  
with a friend [in tiny type]  
[Tiny figures of Ivan Bruel, with black hair with a yellow forehead fringe and a black shirt; and Mylène Haprèle with a pink headband, multicolored hair, an olive-ish jacket and a light cornflower-ish blue shirt.]  
Do your BEST  
and don't go it  
alone [letters separated]

[9th square panel.]  
[Note: Figure placement is a little scattered with regard to the text, in the layout.]  
[Top border framed by smoke clouds with orange embers. In the cloud are curved text:]  
Native nations  
disabled  
imprisoned  
[Tiny half figures of Rose Lavillant with blond hair, blue eyes, and a pink outfit; and Juleka Couffaine, with long purple-tipped hair, and a black outfit.]  
If you SUPPORT  
LGBT+ rights [background is a striped a lighter toned / pastel rainbow]  
REJECT [in red, with a curly bracket } pointing right, to this list:]  
antisemitism  
Islamophobia  
anti-immigration  
[Tiny half figures of Prince Ali's chaperone from Achu, with a pink headwrap, a pink blazer over a white shirt; and Penny Rolling, with purple hair, a black blazer and a white shirt.]  
ACCEPT  
Black Lives Matter  
then this is how you SHOW [highlighted in neon yellow][a checkmark]

[10th square panel, new row.]  
don't buy  
what the LIARS [receding font size, like an arrowhead]  
are selling [in black; the s is crossed like a $]  
[Tiny half figure of Alya Césaire, with dark brown hair shading to curly auburn, black glasses, with a mole over her right brow, wearing a light red and white plaid shirt (though it looks checked at this size.]

[11th square panel.]  
LUCK [with curlicues]  
[Hovering over the last curly flourish is Tikki the Ladybug kwami, basically a bug-like head with a black dot on forehead, and suggestions of antennae, all in red.]  
SMILES  
on those who  
grab their  
CHANCE

[12th square panel.]  
COURAGE [narrow capitals. Then text in slightly receding sizes.]  
comes  
in  
small  
packages  
[Tiny figure of Plagg the Black Cat kwami, basically a cat-like head with suggestions of chartreuse eyes, three whisker-like antennae and a long curled tail.]  
[Cataclysm, jagged lines of black destruction radiate from the last line, above Plagg.]

[Byline, new row]  
MDC [in curly cursive] Translations welcome as long as they're open to corrections.

[An actual cotton swab with the word HANDMADE written across it. For scale. It is not used, btw.]

[Postscript, last row]  
[A black circle with the chartreuse Chat Noir pawprint, marking text:]  
...with a friend?  
‧ ‧ ‧ Several people are typing...


	3. preview 2021: the greatest gift you can give is [reads tag] caring about other people

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We need your help.  
> Here's your power.  
> Can we trust you?
> 
> Americans and friends-of:
> 
> 1\. SISEA is going to bring back internet censorship. Again. Except with databases targeting sex workers.
> 
> 2\. The latest DMCA malarkey is so bad, OTW is asking for all your help.
> 
> Let's not re-survive works taken down, creators afraid to post, sites that can't stay open.  
> What, this happened?  
> Yes, we lived it. You're looking at it. 
> 
> Hint: It's AO3
> 
> P.S. PLEASE remove all your _donation :: commission :: this raised money for_ mentions in your AO3 notes.  
> It violates the TOS.  
> Meaning it violates what AO3 is:  
> A non-profit.
> 
> Guess what happens if someone tries to prove that AO3 isn't a non-profit. Guess how easy that would be to search for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, capitals. i changed how i typed. physically. hopefully it's more readable anyway
> 
> anyhoo. yes, link this.

### Pre 

No, it is not okay to directly mention fund-raising and funds-transfer activities on AO3. No one blinks if you mention it indirectly.  
_This was done for_  
_I requested them_  
_Here is a link to my personal blog_

Yes, report it to Abuse. They will be super-nice about it. But keep it up and yes, the work will be removed.

I don't know how to explain to you that Archive of Our Own is operated by a non-profit organization.

**You are reading this via a non-profit.**

𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕟𝕖𝕪 lawyers figured out how not to pay an artist for their work. We dodge many of the legal hassles (as in: their sniper scopes) by NOT PROFITING FROM THEIR PROPERTIES.  
If the mouse ears turn to us, will they not cite the three fics that didn't get the memo? 

https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/16/22166064/star-wars-alien-novelization-disney-royalties-sfwa-alan-dean-foster

Please stop telling people AO3 is exploiting you by citing  
the main way AO3 prevents you from being exploited. 

And generally speaking  
STOP DEVALUING TRANSFORMATIVE WORKS.

Stop devaluing your work, period!

Stop saying 'it's just fanfic'. A more self-harming statement I have rarely heard in fandom.  
You say that to people you're in the closet for. You don't say it to OTHER FANS.  
~~This is just my stupid first fanfic~~ nO IT'S NOT  
IT'S ART  
IT'S ART, DARLING, YOU'RE PLAYING AND YOU'RE MAKING ART AND THAT'S WHAT FREEDOM LOOKS LIKE  
you have a  
secret identity  
(that will be important in a moment)  
wear your cat ears and make your puns and don't apologize for being an artiste

Because corporations will eventually look at that and go:  
well, you didn't want that?  
I'll just take it.  
And make millions of dollars with it.

Just like corporations just take cultural designs  
and other people's ideas  
and individual creators' works  
and your dog probably

and if what you're fixated on is Why can't I have a million dollars  
Then you never believed this was art for fans' sake in the first place...?

But otherwise that would mean you place a value on your fandom community.

Quite frankly  
if you got through this pandemic by relying on fanfic,  
and you still don't value your fellow fans....

I got nothin'. I'm a misanthropic beast under a bridge, and I still value you little dips and all the ramshackle castles you've created.  
What's your excuse?

> Stackpole says that petitioning Congress to advocate for stronger copyright protections for creators and authors could level the playing field. “Congress often changes aspects of copyright to benefit creators, like the Disney corporation,” he says. “It is within the power of Congress to prohibit severing of contractual obligations in cases of copyright, which would solve a host of issues in the age of corporate publishing and the creation of branded intellectual properties.” 

### 1\. 

https://runcibility.tumblr.com/post/638266010314719233/if-you-havent-heard-about-it-yet-sisea-is-a

SISEA is not going to save any sex workers' lives, or put an end to revenge porn.  
It's going to get sex workers running scared, more than they are already, and it will make it harder for victims to come forward.  
It will starve more people to death.

We know this because it happened last year.  
Yes, it feels like thirty years ago, but it was last year. And before that. And before that. Lots of us have lived through it.  
You are literally reading this from a website that exists only because we were driven out by extremists with an agenda and the elegant strategy of parroting 'save the children do it for the children', and like always hitting back with facts, _right in the eyeglasses_ , did not matter once the collective brains shut down. (And with money involved.)

ETA got swallowed in posted-this-instead-of-sleeping:

> worse it’s another case of people running the same con as “what about the CHILDREN?”, because it’s assuming the speaking role for a “voiceless” minority - except that really, if people stop and listen to sex-workers directly, you can hear what they say.
> 
> Sex workers say anti-trafficking law fuels inequality  
> Abused then arrested: inside California’s crackdown on sex work  
> Sex workers called it: ‘Anti-sex-trafficking’ law causes more sex trafficking  
> https://twitter.com/uppittynegress/status/1143231617898557445  
> It has been exhaustively proven that shutting down craiglist made sex workers less safe. It is known that SESTA/FOSTA increased trafficking and made sex workers less safe. Stats bandied about by anti-porn crusaders is based on flawed data.
> 
> Again and again, the very real problem of sex trafficking and revenge porn is used in bad faith as a rhetorical cudgel by the religious right. 

moi: Most of that quote are links to sources. I'm not providing them here, so you can go read them in situ, *in context*  
which is the opposite of chopping up your criterion into baseless headlines. You gotta read the article _That's where life happens - Sir David Attenborough probably_

I know it's hard to stomach but religious extremists _lie to you_.

There is no order through pain.

I never thought I'd have to spell it out, but  
governments absolutely use databases to target their citizens  
they just don't drain the Potomac like a bathtub to do it. usually.

honey, sunshine, lights of my life: using facial recognition technology against protesters only works if they have something to compare it to. like a list. of people.

call your representative  
give them your city or zip code, you could tell them you don't want a response

### 2\. 

https://kedreeva.tumblr.com/post/638243823091335168/us-copyright-news-otw-legal-and-you

> Fans need to stand up and be counted as opposing the new DMCA proposal from the U.S. Senate so that it doesn’t move forward in Congress. Help OTW Legal protect AO3 and fan projects. Read more at https://otw.news/copyright-news-30129 

> If you are a US citizen, submit comments to Intellectual_Property@tillis.senate.gov before close of business on Friday, March 5th, 2021.
> 
> Do it in numbers, and if it moves forward as a bill, get ready to do it again with every congressional representative you have. 

Kids.

If you've come this far.  
Listen.

Quit accepting a chilling effect as normal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilling_effect

Because the people who got you to accept that a chilling effect on your freedom of speech is normal  
will eventually twig to the idea of escalating that.  
If they haven't already

Here's the thing:  
No one would bother to de-incentivize your free speech  
_if they weren't afraid of you using it._

So they make you afraid.  
They got you to look over your shoulder. To doubt your own voice.  
Please don't accept that. 'Normal' doesn't mean okay.

We DON'T want you to find out what it was like to never know if your favorite fan-site would be up the next day  
or even if your favorite creator would be there

if your friends would disappear or not

We WANT you to know what it's like to log into fandom and not have to watch your back.  
It's a lofty goal but for a great many of us... that was normal.  
We are sorry that it's not normal for you.  
Lots of things spiraled out of control.

But the truth is?  
A lot of what happened after those first growing pains (and I mean, foundation-of-the-internet, rise-of-social-media pains)  
was preventable.

See above  
Contact Congress  
Show up in numbers  
Contact Congress  
Show up in numbers

## Contact Congress

## Show up in numbers

Make a party out of it.  
_Tonight we're going to call our reps and watch anime_  
_We're going to work on what we're going to say and edit screencaps to look like drunk cats_  
_You are invited to a Save AO3 Fest_

And quit being enamoured of the 'fact' that political action does nothing and has no place in your entertainment

Who benefits from you espousing those beliefs?  
Nihilism doesn't save lives, bud. 

Contrary to popular (read: capitalist shock-and-awe isn't that militant) belief, you don't have to bombard your fluff sanctuaries. It doesn't have to be overwhelming. Get creative! Pick a day. Pick a *minute*. Make a tag. 

But honestly if you're choosing between killing the vibe and killing your entire fandom  
....maybe what you're doing is refusing to choose  
(until it's too late)

Don't take my word for it. Give fandom a few minutes of your time, and find out.

### &

You're still not talking about any of this. Not even a little bit, not even to interrupt your aesthetic for a moment.  
What? Afraid to lose followers?  
Afraid your mutuals won't like you, or your discord will despise you?

So: afraid, then.

Get yourself a friend who isn't telling you to take the high road.

It's okay to be afraid.  
It's not okay to mangle your world because your trauma-response is running on repeat.

Quit dwelling on Boomers' legacy (they are locked in, believe me)  
and start wondering what you'll say when someone asks you in a small voice

_All this happened... what did you do?_

(it doesn't have to be a lot. it never, ever does. but it has to be: Something.)

We already 'experimented' with not showing up to vote  
and  
it looks like *at the least* more Americans have died this year from the one preventable cause than were combat deaths in World War II  
the deadliest military conflict in human history, that one yeah  
Don't come at me to _repeat the experiment_  
Who told you that?  
Who's pushing you to that?  
Think!

Big Brother _only sounds benevolent_ and if your biggest ups is 'they haven't hurt me yet' then  
i just  
read that sentence again  
'they haven't hurt me yet'

there's a lot to unpack there.

You and your friends need to get together and DEFEND YOUR TURF.

Here. Where do you spend your time? I know it's hard because it's not a physical place.  
Here. _This is your neighborhood._  
Ok  
maybe it's a leap to call all these people neighbors  
and we've not really seen neighborhoods lately, huh?  
But this is where _you live_

(And stop calling yourself trash! I'm sorry we started joking about it way back when, but you are not dumpsters. You live here. It's a wonderful place because YOU are HERE.)

If you're not going to defend your playground, what are you defending? 

I'm going to guess that your kids are not going to thank you for shoving their minds into an even smaller box.

And for goodness' sake THINK. RESEARCH. FACT-CHECK.

Y'all spend your days stomping on the character Lila Rossi, then practically put her in your ear, come on. Come on now. Nuance. 

Learn to get your news in more than bite-sized chunks _because that's how dictators and brainwashers and gaslighters like to spork-feed it to you._  
And reality has complicated pointy bits! It has gnarly knotty parts!  
If you don't like that, then I regret to inform you that you have refused to GROW UP.

'they're wearing a suit so i believe them' buddy JARVIS took one look at Tony and went: this organism is going to get his face broke. not even sentient robots follow orders like that. wake. up.

Posting text for now, because my priorities are day-to-day, and it takes time for me to do art. (The original comic may be redone ! I'm a-flutter. But that could take a whole week. Do I even have a week? Let's find out on this exciting adventure called living life.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slowing down or stopping this is possible only if  
>  **we show up  
>  in large numbers **  
> and say something.
> 
> If we don't show up, there is a lot of money and power leaning on these things to pass into reality. Our reality.
> 
> You do have that power.  
> Look to your friends.  
> Maybe they smell like rotten cheese.  
> Get them up, grab your toys, and let's go save our city.


	4. I'm Sorry. I missed this one.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again. It all sounds good in theory. But when $30,000 is called a "small claim", and avoiding fines includes an obscure legal avenue *which does not involve judges or juries* it's obvious the average person on the internet would be screwed.

Again, I'm not on social media because I don't have social media. I'm very tired.  
Yes.  
You do need to talk about these things in your fannish spaces. This is why.

https://www.engadget.com/covid-19-spending-bill-passes-with-new-streaming-copyright-law-tacked-on-102046838.html

> The much broader CASE Act, meanwhile, could clearly have a chilling effect on free speech. It creates a new small claims system that allows individual artists and designers to challenge copyright infringement without launching a federal case. “It's a solution that is long overdue for individual creators and small copyright holders, for whom copyright has too often been a right without a remedy,” according to the Graphic Artists Guild.
> 
> While that’s good in theory, the EFF has argued that it could mean huge fines for individuals sharing copyrighted material on social media. “The CASE Act could mean internet users facing $30,000 penalties for sharing a meme or making a video,” it wrote earlier. “It has no place in must pass legislation.” It noted that if an individual is hit with a CASE claim, they would need to reply to the Copyright Office “in a very specific way, within a limited time” to avoid a steep fine. 

https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-don-t-let-a-quasi-court-bankrupt-internet-users-a9e11873-62f9-4fa1-a05e-675474e095e5  
The EFF - The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which I still remember making button gifs on Geocities - sees an opening!

> Under the CASE Act, people could file copyright infringement claims with an obscure body, under the auspices of an office most people have no experience with. And that board could decide that the subjects of those claims owe up to $30,000 for activities as common as sharing memes, images, and videos online. It has no place in must pass legislation. Tell Congress not to include the CASE Act in must pass legislation. 

'must-pass' legislation means it was deemed essential to the law.  
except. y'know. it was COVID-19 relief. and no one had the chance to really read it or even debate it (it's been kicked away every time in regular debate)

I know you're fatigued, but because of how a Bill Becomes a Law there's a chance  
I'm saying there' s a chance  
if you **call now**

And so does the OTW (which if you still haven't noticed: they operate AO3)

https://transformativeworks.tumblr.com/post/638340234247061504/contact-your-representatives-about-the-case-act

> This legislation could pass in the next few days so if you are able to act, please do it now!
> 
> Note: this is DIFFERENT from Senator Tillis’s copyright wish-list that we posted about yesterday. Senator Tillis is still doing his thing; it’s not a bill and—we hope—may never become one. We anticipate a long road ahead on that front. 

Oh, it's streamers, it doesn't affect me!

There's this thing called precedent. Where if something is operational, future decisions can be made of it. And it's harder to dislodge.

[This is all in addition to what was already posted in the previous chapter. ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952826/chapters/69257076#workskin)

(Yes, there is art coming with this. A lot of it. I have to ... live. And stuff)

Also: please don't depend on me for news. I am already at wit's end, and I don't *have* fannish spaces besides this. Chances are _you do_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > Sophisticated defendants — the kind of repeat infringers that artists express the most concern about — probably won’t be common in the CCB. Instead, the typical claims to proceed will likely be against less sophisticated defendants, such as individual households and small businesses. 
> 
> \- https://www.publicknowledge.org/blog/the-case-act-small-claims-big-risks/  
> back in 2017 when it was kicked around first
> 
> Are we seeing a pattern yet 
> 
> Where the proposed law that says it's going to protect a group of people
> 
> doesn't, actually
> 
> and actively makes it worse for them
> 
> . . .
> 
> My goodness; maybe reading the headlines only is not enough! 
> 
> How shall I discover this on my own, oh noes!
> 
> Pool your resources and _talk to your friends_
> 
> Don't be the airpods meme.  
> You want out of this horror story? Pay attention to your surroundings and involve your friends-group


	5. Shall we do as Peggy says?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art, berating with tea, and links with what to do if you've yet to call your representative.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My only regret is I'm about to post, and realized there was a perfect spot for a wee Mr. Jarvis. Drat!
> 
> To my 1▓ year old self: thanks for saving those pennies.
> 
> No guarantees are made for any of the outside links. Check your own facts, please!

The link to this chapter:  
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952826/chapters/70262193

### The art I wasn't expecting to make today

Text:   
There comes a  
TIME  
to administer  
PUNISHMENT 

Skip the speech, direct to the action: links and tips.

### Down to business, shall we? 

Here's the list of 106 traitors who attempted to overturn election results... on the 10th of December.  
[It's the Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-election-republicans-trump/2020/12/10/2cba806e-3b43-11eb-9276-ae0ca72729be_story.html) because I was there, at the time. 

[This one](https://runcibility.tumblr.com/post/639309418049191936/httpstwittercomfreedlanderstatus134552209717) is from when the count was 153 traitors, dated the 2nd of January.  
https://runcibility.tumblr.com/post/639309418049191936/httpstwittercomfreedlanderstatus134552209717 

Now here's the list of 147 traitors who tried to stymie the election results ... well, this says the 7th of January. This week! [This one's the New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html), as it was the first paper I picked up.

This one has a matching Tumblr post; one of many, I'm sure. [Do take note of that Hitler fact.](https://marvelsmostwanted.tumblr.com/post/639690369286782976/if-your-members-of-congress-are-on-this-list-call) Or the reason for my bullet-ridden youth.  
https://marvelsmostwanted.tumblr.com/post/639690369286782976/if-your-members-of-congress-are-on-this-list-call

I am no news-hound or doomscroller. Those are just the ones I found. There are plenty of other reputable outlets to check. 

If you object to the word 'traitor', that's precisely what one who commits sedition is called. Here's [the actual legal code](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/part-I/chapter-115) via Cornell Law. Was an instance every ten hours, or was it more? I highly suggest you put away your "I'm very sad this is happening here" rose-tinted spectacles, because it is absolutely *happening*. If ever there was a time to rise from your New Year's stupor, _it is now._

Allow me to clarify. If you are a citizen of the United States of America, YOU are the boss of them. You are employing these morons! If you cannot vote, or you're not one of the idiots who voted for them, then BE LOUDER than the idiots! Put your foot down! 

Anyone who tells you it doesn't make a difference is LYING to you. 

To be quite blunt, as much as this is their power-grubbing, lying ways—it was widespread **civic indifference** which allowed them to rise. It's generational, too; don't you think I wouldn't have wanted to stop this with Newt and his "Contract with America"? Or talk to a survivor of the Reagan years. (Pish posh, Democrats are to blame too—well they're not the ones turning fascist at the moment; deal with them when that comes up. And yes, there are quite a few websites claiming it's the Democrats who are fascist, because they think you don't know how to look things up in a dictionary, or believe the Russian oligarchy is actually twiddling its thumbs with a halo on top, or that basic facts don't exist.) 

If you're already working, you're not bothering to read this bit, because you already know. If you're still laid out prone, nursing your trauma like the last drink before closing, _you're enabling them_. They want you down, and out. 

Because, really, how _is_ the 'high road' treating you? 

If you can speak, do! There are plenty of people who cannot. For whom the stakes are too high, the road too fraught; or those who are already casualties. If it is your _privilege_ to raise your voice when they cannot, how could you refuse? 

Very easily, I imagine. 

Suit up. In your own way. Pocket something heavy, just in case. My dear, it's high time we made history. 

### On Archive of Our Own

If you're wondering why you're seeing this on AO3, well, this directly affects you. 

Is there legislation that could fine you for copyright violations adjucated by an obscure branch of judiciary? Yes. That could motivate your internet provider or host to delete all obscene material (again), and (threaten) to put sex workers in a database with all their personal information? Yes. Are there long-standing legislative pushes to swing copyright law to the hands of corporations, effectively negating the legal basis which protects fanworks? Oh, yes. To let companies up-charge you for internet access, and then choke it off if you can't pay their rates? Did that ever stop? My, look at this! They want to prevent your internet from being cut off by the government due to some outdated law from World War II! That *is* delightful. Ever wonder where your fellow fans from China have been all year? 

If you are a U.S. citizen, you can do something about this. 

...instead of flopping about in whatever quarantine they'll allow you to muster, and feeling useless and scared. Come on, now. Up and over. What would Peggy say? Well, you know precisely what that is, so do as she says! 

Before you get overwhelmed and run whimpering? Again, let me remind you: you do not have to go it alone.  
All the guides advise calling regularly, even every day. Does that sound emotionally exhausting? It does. Now imagine doing that with a partner. A friend. Or perhaps your gaming group, or your Discord, or with a gaggle of your mutuals. You can make silly memes together, can't you? Well, chin up, you can do this. 

Now make yourself a nice cup of tea, or whatever beverage is most soothing. 

No one, not one person, ought to be telling you you're wrong for enjoying yourself. Silly is exactly what we need, to be quite honest. My point is: make silly things _after_ you've thrown the shoe. We don't have a gauntlet, darling, that was tossed and recycled ages ago. 

You will never reach any sort of catharsis feeding your guilt to fantasies, instead of indulging after a job done.  


### The Tips

_Yes, some of the advice is contradictory. So you can make up your own mind._

_My own tips:_

  1. Only call your own representative. 
  2. Have a script ready. 
  3. Give your town or zip code, and indicate whether or not you wish a response. 
  4. Don't feel lousy about sounding awkward. Your mission is accomplished if the most important information transmits clearly: your general location, the issue, and support / decry. 
  5. Be prepared for a wait. 



Notable: finding your House representative can be tricky as your zip code won't necessarily match the shape of the district ~~because of gerrymandering~~. Go directly to the [**House website**](https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative) to make sure you're speaking to the right person. https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative **In general, input your full zip code with the extra four digits** for an exact match. 

Several websites will ask for your address and phone number, which can be a bit nervewracking. (Personally I gave mine to the EFF - the Electronic Frontier Foundation, because who better to protect my privacy on the internet.) A robocall will get a hold of you, and directly connect you to the right office. _If your weakness is trying to wade through data to find the right contact number, that route's for you._

[There's a wikihow for calling your U.S. House representative](https://www.wikihow.com/Call-Your-Congressional-Representative) https://www.wikihow.com/Call-Your-Congressional-Representative  
In this particular case, writing a letter is obviously going to take too long.  
[And here's the one for calling your Senators.](https://www.wikihow.com/Contact-U.S.-Senators) https://www.wikihow.com/Contact-U.S.-Senators Look at those outdated graphics! 

The best guide I've come across to recommend is [NRDC's from 2017](https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-call-congress) https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-call-congress  
It has a lot of links. I checked them through after the 'Focus" header. 

  1. Countable is now Causes.com, which seems to organize your doom-scrolling. This is by issue, not by representative. I would think about this for my own voting preparation. 
  2. [GovTrack](https://www.govtrack.us/) https://www.govtrack.us/ is fantastic. It cuts through the bull and parses out the issues in an easy-to-understand manner. Want to find out how a bill actually becomes a law? A misconduct database! Ooho. Here we are. As a bonus, thus far there are no pictures of pasty orange heads to spoil your breakfast. It's just good clean data. 
  3. [Vote Smart](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/) https://justfacts.votesmart.org/ Goes by issue. **Their zip code drop-down lists local politicians** down to the aldermen. It does have their tiny orange heads, alas. An excellent voter's stop to quickly browse answers to the questions you'd actually ask. Such as, how have they lied versus fact-checkers? 
  4. [The Sixty Five](http://thesixtyfive.org/theIssues) http://thesixtyfive.org/theIssues Need scripts? They have scripts. Weekly, so at the moment we are not caught up with the flurry of events. 
  5. [Indivisible](https://indivisible.org/resources) https://indivisible.org/resources An openly progressive site. Currently urging Congress not to take a recess. Asks for your address, see above. 
  6. [5 Calls](https://5calls.org/) https://5calls.org/ A popular streamlined option. Immediately gives you your Congressional representatives, and with a click, scripts for various issues. Their tiny orange heads are tiny, fortunately. 



Now, [This former staffer advises calling the local district offices.](https://archive.attn.com/stories/12951/former-staffer-explains-how-call-your-representatives)  
https://archive.attn.com/stories/12951/former-staffer-explains-how-call-your-representatives  
Given that time is of the essence, however, you'll likely be talking to a voicemail. (If you wish to talk to a voicemail, that's when to call: when it's not office hours.) 

>   1. Look up your federal representatives: you have three, two U.S. Senators, who represent the entire state, and a U.S. Representative, who represents your specific district. You can look them up here [http://www.house.gov/] and here [http://www.senate.gov/index.htm], all you need is a zip code. 
>   2. Make a plan to call: Skip calling the D.C. office and call your district office. Your congressional representatives should have district office phone numbers listed on their website. Call during business hours (also listed on the website) to guarantee that you'll speak to a staffer. 
>   3. Know what message you want to convey: Do you want your congress person to vote a specific way on a bill? If so, have the bill number and name ready. Do you want to voice your opinion on a non-legislative issues? Have your opinion ready. Do you have a question about where a bill is in the legislative process? Or how your representative plans to vote on a bill? Have the name and number ready for the staff member to look up. Do you need help with a specific casework issue? Make sure it's something that the federal government (and not your state or local government officials) covers and be ready to fill out a casework form.
>   4. Be patient and kind: Senate staffers may not have every answer, but they will do their best to help you. They can take hundreds of calls in one day, but they're here to serve you.
> 


  


YouLobby.Org 

> Tips
> 
> Calling your representatives is easy and effective. Here are 5 tips for making the most of your calls. 
>   1. Set a reminder to make your calls. Calling all three of your congressional representatives should take less than five minutes. Make voicing your opinions part of your daily or weekly routine. 
>   2. Make it personal. Members of Congress want to hear personal stories about how legislation affects their constituents. For example, if you or a loved one has benefited from the Affordable Care Act or Planned Parenthood, talk about how they changed your life. If something is not working for you, let Congress know that, too. Members of Congress use personal stories to help bolster their arguments both behind closed doors and in public speeches and interviews. Knowing exactly how their constituents are affected by legislation is the only way they know what works and what doesn’t. 
>   3. Accentuate the positive. Thank your members of Congress for doing the right thing. Our representatives need to know when something is working or if their voters are happy with their work. 
>   4. Make suggestions. YouLobby.org offers an actionable suggestion in every phone script. Be sure to tell your members of Congress exactly what steps you are expecting them to take. 
>   5. Be a constituent-boss. Be confident when you call your Reps because you are informed, valued, and they work for you. 
> 


  


APA.org 

Included because this is a group of psychologists, so their wording could be useful. Particularly if you're a professional or expert, this script could be for you. They advise calling the Capitol office instead of the district office.

> 4 Essential Tips for Calling Your Member of Congress  
>  Making a phone call to your representatives to request action on specific legislation is a great idea. Here's how to do it. 
>   1. **Prepare** Know the issue you wish to discuss, your goal or the action you want the legislator to take. Before calling, have your message written in front of you and review it carefully so you know exactly what you want to say. Include a few compelling facts to convince them to take action. APA can help you develop talking points. 
>   2. **Identify Yourself & Ask for a Legislative Assistant** Identify yourself as a constituent. Briefly state your your title and position, if relevant. Ask to speak with the legislative assistant responsible for the issue. 
>   3. **State Your Purpose** Keep the message simple and concise. A good model to follow is: State the issue, support with facts and then state your goal, such as asking the legislator's support for a bill. 
>   4. **Be Courteous** Avoid emotional arguments, personal attacks, threats of political influence or demands. Thank the staffer for taking your call and let him or her know how you will follow up. 
> 


Paraphrasing their sample phone call:

> **Identify** yourself and explain your relationship with the senator or representative: [example]  
>  **Explain** why you are calling: [example]  
>  **Establish** why your issue is necessary [and the perspective you offer as a psychologist or graduate student:] [example]  
>  **Ask** your member of Congress to take action:  
>  **Thank** the staffer: [example] 

Keep in mind that calling is effective in some circumstances, especially en masse. You'll be a tick on a spreadsheet, and you have to be okay with that. What we have now is a time limit.

And the most important bit: that social media is NOT effective when it comes to making yourself heard. You have to be counted as a constituent. As a boss. And you do carry more weight as a caller, because they know for every caller, there are a statistically significant number who can't be bothered. 

\- 

The hell of it is: the wicked and the cruel are quite organized. They get a high out of storming in as a mob. They get a high out of lying and obtaining more power for it. 

And they're doing it with their friends. 

Well, you can just as easily do the same thing! You want to be more organized than evil people? Round up your friends for a lark. Defeat evil together. Have a marshmallow roast after. Do your bit. Look at pictures of swords. If you're not up to angry rallies, make a tiny picture while you're flat on your back. 

But do _something_. Today. 

What's stopping you *is* probably an off-shoot of white supremacy, and the abusers who would like you to shut up and be a proper young man or little lady. 

Proper. They mean _docile_. 

Are you going to give them the satisfaction? 


End file.
